Deceased Parents - Income Assessment

ShatterResistant

Hey boardsies,quick question about income assessment so I'll outline my situation below.

Both my parents passed away when I was under 18 and my brother was appointed as my legal guardian. I have since turned 18, will be attending university this September and I'm hoping to receive a grant. I've been wondering who is assessed for income purposes and the SUSI website suggests as follows:

Deceased parents
If your parents are deceased, you should apply as a dependent student and you will be assessed on your own income

which seems quite straight forward, just my own income, presumably making no reference to my brother on my application form. But I do still live with him and he was my legal guardian. The only reason I doubt the info on the website is that another sibling has been receiving the grant on the basis of the oldest brothers income and has had it cut due to changes in eligibility.

I'm rambling so to wrap it up, either:
-I will be assessed on my income only and my sibling has been doing himself out of money by including more than just his own income
or:
-I should be assessed under my brother/former guardians income and hence receive the reduced rate like my sibling. And if so, why? The website seems quite clear cut.

Thanks in advance, any additional info required or if I've made this unneccesarily complicated, let me know below

Sup08

ShatterResistant wrote: »

-I will be assessed on my income only and my sibling has been doing himself out of money by including more than just his own income
or:
-I should be assessed under my brother/former guardians income and hence receive the reduced rate like my sibling. And if so, why? The website seems quite clear cut.

Thanks in advance, any additional info required or if I've made this unneccesarily complicated, let me know below

If your parents passed away when you were under 18 then you have would been appointed a legal guardian, as you said this is your brother.
Therefore, you will be assessed as dependent upon your brother and his income will need to be submitted.
If you do not declare your brother on your application, the date of your parents death will show SUSI you were appointed a legal guardian after your parents passed away as you were under 18.

You remain dependent upon your legal Guardian (Your Brother) until you are 23 or over.
You will remain dependent upon your legal guardian if you were under 23 at your point of entry or re-entry into further or higher education and will remain so until you are over 23 and have had a break of no les than 3 years from study.

I hope this helps and I am sorry to hear of the loss of your parents.

challengemaster

Ring SUSI, ask for clarification on the matter. It's the only way you'll find out for sure.

Sup08

challengemaster wrote: »

Ring SUSI, ask for clarification on the matter. It's the only way you'll find out for sure.

I am pretty sure